Lawmakers urge Nvidia’s Huang to resign as Congress weighs a subpoena

Congressional pressure on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang intensified on November 11, with lawmakers from both parties urging him to resign and House committee leaders considering a subpoena. The confrontation is also feeding a push for tighter AI-chip export controls, turning questions about Huang’s personal conduct into a dispute over national-security safeguards, CNBC reported.

Huang acknowledged an affair on Sunday, November 8, according to CNBC. The outlet said other news organizations had reported that U.S. intelligence concluded the woman was a Chinese spy. That intelligence allegation is distinct from Huang’s acknowledgment of the relationship; his admission does not itself establish espionage or a compromise of sensitive information.

A testimony request reaches its deadline

Three Republican House committee chairmen requested Huang’s appearance on November 18 in a November 4 letter: Brian Mast of Foreign Affairs, John Moolenaar of the Select Committee on China, and Rick Crawford of Intelligence. Their request puts the matter before panels responsible for foreign policy, China and intelligence oversight.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mast and Moolenaar told reporters they had not heard from Huang. They said they were giving him until the end of the day to respond. Asked whether a subpoena was under consideration if Huang did not agree to appear, Mast answered yes.

Moolenaar emphasized that all three committees have subpoena power and a serious interest in transparency. The distinction matters: the chairmen were discussing whether to use that authority, not announcing that they had issued a subpoena. Huang’s appearance therefore remained a request backed by the possibility of compulsory testimony.

As a matter of his own conscience, he should resign.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, speaking to CNBC

Resignation demands cross party lines

Cramer, a North Dakota Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, renewed his resignation demand Wednesday. He framed it as a national-security concern, arguing that Huang could be vulnerable to extortion or blackmail. That was Cramer’s assessment of the risk, not an established finding that either had occurred.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, also told CNBC that Huang should resign. Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon agreed, qualifying his answer with “From the little I know.” The calls extended beyond lawmakers already leading the effort to secure Huang’s testimony.

The defense bill becomes the policy vehicle

Huang had opposed strict U.S. controls on AI-chip exports to China, putting him at odds with China hawks in Congress. Now lawmakers are seeking to advance restrictions through the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense bill. Congress had not yet passed that bill, a priority for its lame-duck session.

The proposals include the AI Overwatch Act, MATCH Act and Chip Security Act. CNBC describes all three as efforts to prevent U.S. chip technology from reaching adversaries. Their inclusion in the defense legislation remains a legislative objective, not a completed tightening of export rules.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jim Banks explicitly connected the controversy to their push for the AI Overwatch Act. In a statement quoted by CNBC, they said the relationship made national-security concerns more urgent and raised questions Nvidia must answer about whether the activities were related. Warren sponsored the Senate bill with Banks.

Not every lawmaker wants the personal controversy driving those negotiations. Rep. Jay Obernolte, a California Republican and co-chair of the House AI task force, said Tuesday that he hoped it would not distract from export-control talks. His caution separates the debate over chip restrictions from demands for Huang’s departure.